


Unique Situations Call for Unique Gifts

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Advent Challenge 2013, Christmas Presents, F/M, Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-10
Updated: 2013-12-10
Packaged: 2018-01-04 08:24:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1078754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Santa visits Jack a few days after Christmas</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unique Situations Call for Unique Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my Advent Calendar prompt "Connect Four."

Two days after Christmas, Jack and Sally were relaxing in his lab when the doorbell screamed. "Come in!" Jack yelled.

A moment later, the most unexpected guest walked in. "Santa?" Sally asked, shocked.

"Santa?" Jack spun around. "It is you!"

"Jack," Santa said solemnly.

Sally frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Actually, yes. We seem to have a bit of a problem."

"But, you took back all of our presents!" Jack protested. "Everything went back to normal!"

"And that's the problem." Santa pulled a snow globe from his pocket and held it up. It seemed to function much as the fountain in Halloweentown, showing a glimpse of the human world. "Look," Santa instructed.

Jack and Sally both looked deep into the image. There, a small girl sat on her bed, idly playing with a brightly colored toy. Every so often she paused, sighed, and looked out the window.

"What's wrong with her?" Sally asked.

"What's she playing with?" Jack couldn't quite keep the excitement out of his voice. Sally shook her head fondly; Jack simply could not resist all of these new toys.

"It's a Connect Four," Santa said; "it's been very popular this year."

"Fascinating," Jack murmured.

"But why does she look so sad?" Sally asked. "Is that why you're here, Santa?"

Santa nodded. "As I said, the Connect Four has been quite popular, and our information indicated that she would like it, but she's been sad ever since Christmas. I'm afraid that we might have made a mistake this time."

Sally suddenly realized why the other Holiday leader was here. "Jack, what did you give her?" she asked.

Jack studied the girl's face closely. "Um... oh, one of the floating dolls!"

"I liked those," Sally offered.

"So did she," Santa confirmed.

Finally, the light bulb clicked for Jack. "She liked her present from _me_?" he exclaimed.

"She did."

"Could we give it back to her?" Sally asked.

Santa looked a little uncomfortable - Sally was sure he wasn't pleased that his presents weren't all perfect, but she was quite pleased that he was willing to put that aside to get the little girl what she clearly wanted. "I suppose that would be best," Santa finally said.

"Let's go right now!" Jack said, jumping up.

Sally eyed Santa. "Let's wait until she's asleep," she suggested. "That is more traditional."

Jack's enthusiasm dimmed a little, but Santa looked relieved. That night, Jack and Sally snuck back to the human world and laid a black-ribboned box atop the abandoned Connect Four set.

The next morning, they watched with delight as the small girl discovered her returned present, and hugged it gleefully. Sally wrapped her arms around Jack as the image faded from the fountain. "You did good," she whispered, knowing that actually, this little girl had done as much for Jack as he had for her. Thanks to this unique girl, Jack was able to fulfill his own Christmas wish. "Merry Christmas, Jack."


End file.
